Women losing ground in California politics

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Encino Attorney Janice Kamenir-Reznik was being pleaded to run for the California Senate seat that will be vacated by Democrat Fran Pavley -- one of the most influential female politicians at the Capitol.

Pavley will not be able to seek reelection as she had already reached her term limits. As the number of female legislators is on the decline, many people wanted Kamenir-Reznik to fill the vacancy and help stem women’s losing share in the state politics.

Initially, Pavley resisted saying she had commitments to the nonprofit she co-founded. But, she later changed her mind and filed to run for the seat.

Speaking on the topic, 64-year-old Kamenir-Reznik said, “Then I thought, we keep talking about the need for women in power. If I’m not willing to do it, then how could I expect other people to do it? We have to have role models for young women.”

Though the U.S. may make history later this year by electing the nation’s first female president as Hillary Clinton is leading the Democratic nomination race for the White House, and two women from the Democratic Party are the front-runners in the race to succeed the state’s retiring U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer; yet women will likely lose ground in the state’s congressional delegation as well as legislature this year.

Currently, women account for less than 26 per cent of California’s legislators, down from 30.8 per cent in 2006. More than a third of the 31 women in the state Assembly and Senate will leave this year due to term limits or personal reasons, which will further delete women’s representation in a state where they account for nearly 50.8 per cent of the overall population.

California State Attorney General Kamala Harris’ Office has confirmed that subpoenas have been issued to oil refiners as part of its investigation into unusually high gasoline prices in the state during last year.